The present invention relates generally to musical instrument amplifiers. More particularly, the invention relates to a modular musical instrument amplifier system that allows the musician to customize his or her amplifier by selecting and installing different modular pre-amplifier units or effect processor units. The units conveniently slide into the amplifier system chassis, so that their respective control knobs are presented on the face of the unit for easy access. Switching circuitry associated with the chassis routes the music signal through one or more of the pre-amplifier/effect""s units based on the user""s preference.
The musical instrument industry today offers a mind-numbing assortment of different musical instrument amplifiers and effects processors from which a musician may choose. Each different brand and style of amplifier has its own sound and its own following. For example, whereas heavy metal musicians may prefer amplifiers of high power with lots of raw distortion, country musicians may prefer a less powerful, sweeter sound. Similarly, many blues musicians tend to favor more classic or vintage amplifiers that can be overdriven to provide a moderate level of distortion or xe2x80x9ccrunch.xe2x80x9d Techno-musicians may prefer yet another sound, characterized by comparatively clean amplification with lots of digital signal processing. In short, there is an amplifier system for virtually every type of sound or music that is popular today.
The wide assortment of available amplifier and effects processor options can make equipment shopping an emotional decision, fraught with compromises. Because no one amplifier has heretofore been capable of providing all different sounds, the musician is forced to choose. The choice is exacerbated by the fact that a musician during his or her career may be engaged to play a wide range of different musical styles. Thus the musician who buys equipment to perform in a heavy metal band would find himself or herself ill-equipped if later invited to play in a blues band or country band. Trading in old equipment to buy new equipment is an expensive option.
To address this, currently several manufacturers offer a so called xe2x80x9cmodelingxe2x80x9d amplifier that mimics the sounds of different types of vintage amplifiers using digital signal processing technology. While modeling amplifier technology is interesting, to many a musician""s ear, this modeling technology falls short of the mark.
The present invention addresses the foregoing problems through a unique modular, mix-and-match system that allows a musician to add to his or her amplification arsenal at far lower cost. The modular system allows the musician to add new pre-amplification modules, as needed, thereby gaining new sound production characteristics, at a far lower cost than buying a new amplifier each time. The modular system also advantageously allows the musician to xe2x80x9ccarryxe2x80x9d multiple different amplifications, without the need to lug several heavy amplifiers to the gig.
In addition to providing, a convenient, modular upgrade path, the amplifier system of the invention offers a great deal of flexibility. The signal-routing circuitry associated with chassis is controlled by the user, such as through a MIDI foot switch, to route the input signal through any selective one of the instrument pre-amps that the user has installed. Thus the user can, in effect, xe2x80x9cswitch amplifiersxe2x80x9d from one song to the next. The signal-routing circuitry also allows the signals to be routed so that the output of one module feeds the input of the next. This routing option allows a digital-signal processor module to be physically inserted into one of the modular slots and also musically inserted in the signal path. In one presently preferred embodiment, the chassis automatically senses that an inserted module is an analog or digital signal processing unit, (as opposed to a pre-amplifier), such that the signal routing circuitry automatically places this unit in series with the audio signal path, when selected. The signal processing unit can be any of a variety of processing units, including but not limited to equalizers, compressors, distortion, chorus, flange, wah-wah, tremolo, reverb, echo and more sophisticated digital signal processing units.
For a more complete understanding of the invention, its objects and advantages, refer to the following specification and to the accompanying drawings.